Germany is one of the founding European Union member states and even in difficult times supports European cohesion.

List

Largest German foreign mission

Moscow embassy, about 300 staff

Largest parliamentary group in the German Bundestag

Parliamentary Group USA, 80 members of parliament

Largest EU body in Germany

European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt am Main, 3,380 staff members

UN organisations in Germany

in total 30, 19 of them in Bonn

512 million

Number

people live in the 28 member states of the European Union. This gives it the third-largest population after China and India. Its citizens speak 24 languages and live in an area covering four million square kilometres. GDP totals 15.33 trillion euros. With a share of 15.6 percent of the world’s exports and 14.8 percent of imports, the EU places second behind China and the USA respectively.

Since 1994, when the law dividing up ministries and institutions between Bonn and Berlin was passed, it hasn't been a one-way street to Berlin. Bonn has reinvented itself as the United Nations’ base in Germany.

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Civil society

The many non-government organisations in Germany also champion the global enforcement of human rights, progress in development policy, and humanitarian assistance. They encourage the politicians responsible to take action and raise awareness for such ­activities among the population. But they also take active steps themselves, collect donations and co­ordinate projects of their own. Around 120 ­organisations make up VENRO, the umbrella organisation of non-governmental development organisations.

Those opposed to the EU have loud voices. But what about the innumerable amount of people who support Europe and the EU? They want to help shape a united Europe – and now they’re making sure their voices are heard.

Every third woman in Europe becomes a victim of violence in the course of her life. Since 2013, people in more than 200 countries around the world get up and dance together once a year in protest at violence towards girls and women. The campaign is called One Billion Rising, and it was founded by New York artists and activist Eve Ensler.